In Provo, Utah, the preliminary hearing for Tyler Robinson, accused of assassinating Charlie Kirk, continues with new developments. Video testimony from Lance Twiggs, who was romantically involved with Robinson, will be presented Thursday morning. Earlier objections led to Judge Tony Graf Jr. ordering redactions; prosecutors agreed to review the footage before proceeding.

Emotional scenes unfolded as Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, shared moments of grief with family members. Their attorney, Jeff Neiman, advocated for playing the full, unredacted video in court. He stressed that incomplete footage could undermine public trust in the judicial system.

During the hearing, the defense pushed for privacy, arguing the footage of Twiggs’ testimony could potentially harm Robinson’s right to a fair trial. Judge Graf consented to redact about 16 minutes from the 37-minute statement. The video shows discussions about messages and notes allegedly considered confessions by prosecutors.

“The Kirk family believes strongly that if the evidence is being admitted in this preliminary hearing, it should be made public for the world to see no redactions,” Neiman argued.

Robinson appeared anxious during proceedings, especially when references to Twiggs arose. Defense attorney Richard Novak emphasized that the defendant’s communications did not constitute a confession, aiming to mitigate potential biases. Some text exchanges between Robinson and Twiggs appear to implicate Robinson; these will remain excluded from the courtroom presentation.

Judge Graf noted he would consider the evidence, including non-public details, in his probable cause decision. He confirmed the week’s legal proceedings would conclude by Friday, aiming to respect initial timeframes despite ongoing complexities.

The proceedings concluded with Erika and Kathy Kirk sharing a poignant moment, reflecting the personal and public stakes at play in this legal battle.